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Floreana Tortoises Make Historic Comeback | Auckland News
Think extinct, then boom—survivors! The Floreana giant tortoise, thought gone since the 1800s, is making a dramatic comeback on its home island in the Galapagos. Scientists discovered them on a volcano in Isabela Island in 2000, confirmed by DNA to be true descendants of the lost lineage. How did they get there? Likely human error—pirates and whalers may have dumped them during ship mishaps. Now, thanks to dedicated breeding efforts, 158 tortoises were released onto Floreana in 2026, fitted with NASA satellite trackers, and already thriving—eating, breeding, and seeding new life. These…
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